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Cycling in Sikkim - Guaranteed Fixed Departure or Exclusive/Private Tour

When it comes to mountain cycling in the Eastern Himalayas, hardly any cycling tour can top our Sikkim cycling tour.

Our cycling expedition takes a route of moderate difficulty through the mountainous terrain of India’s north eastern state of Sikkim and passes through all the important cultural and natural hotspots to give you a wholesome experience of the flora and fauna and the age-old Buddhist tradition of this unique but rarely explored land. The idea is to combine cycling adventure with cultural exploration in an evenly manner.

Starting out in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, our smartly planned Sikkim cycling tour weaves its way in the westerly direction through the lush forests of oak, elm and rhododendron and hillsides covered with terraced paddy fields to arrive at villages, small towns, tea gardens, and hill stations over the course of 10 days. Each place has something interesting to offer.

Take, for instance, the stopover at Temi Tea Garden, where you get to see up-close the cultivation and processing of some of the finest quality tea in the world. Or take the visits to the many Buddhist monasteries we come upon on the way. Each monastery has an intriguing legend or tale behind its founding. Each one houses a unique treasure of paintings, sculptures, idols and relics. In a way, our Sikkim holiday biking tour puts you on a circuit of Buddhist religious pilgrimage in Northeast India.

All through the tour, you cycle on a mostly metalled road winding up and down through stunningly gorgeous landscapes in the lap of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. All along, you find a lot of fun things to do on the side, besides cycling.


Trip Highlights

  • Seeing the first rays of the sun lighting up both Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga in the same panoramic view at dawn
  • Enjoy ride on a narrow gauge toy train to the highest railway station in the world
  • Visiting a lake which is said to have wish-fulfilling powers
  • Dropping by at Temi Tea Garden and checking out the finest variety of tea in the world
  • Souvenir shopping in the markets of Darjeeling

Bagdogra - Gangktok - Martam - Temi Tea Garden - Ravangla - Yuksom - Pemayangtse - Darjeeling - Bagdogra

08 Nights / 09 Days

Day 1

Bagdogra - Gangtok

Meet our driver at Bagdogra and transfer to Gangtok, Its 4hrs drive, first 20-25kms of drive is through crowded city road but after that rest of the driving through nice road with green forest both side, reach Gangtok and check in at hotel, evening meet cycling guide and go through the plan for the next day cycling, guide will brief you on Sikkim cycling tour.

Hotel: Netuk House/ Similar
Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2

GANGTOK CITY CYCLING

The Gangtok city cycling tour is designed to provide you a wholesome experience of riding in and around the capital of Sikkim. Kicking off at the elevation of 1650 meters, the mountain biking trip of Gangtok weaves its way through many beautiful locations to cover all the major tourist hotspots before climaxing at the height of 2180 meters at Hanuman Tok, the highest point in Gangtok.

The Sikkim cycling tour starts off right after breakfast at the hotel and is a perfect getaway to warm yourself up for mountain biking in Himalayas. The day’s itinerary ticks off the best tourist attractions of Gangtok, namely the Gonjang monastery, Tashi View Point, Ganesh Tok and Hanuman Tok.

Located just 6km from the heart of Gangtok is the Gonjang monastery, an important port of call for any vacationer on Sikkim holiday tour. The monastery was established in 1981 by H.E. Tingkye Gonjang Rimpoche and it follows the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. But what makes it unique is that the Bodhisattva deities enshrined in it are different from the ones at other Nyingma sect monasteries. The main highlights of the monastery are the three idols of the founding fathers of Tibetan Buddhism, and the statues of 25 disciples of Guru Padmasambhava.

Quite close to the Gonjang monastery is the Tashi View Point, which offers great views of many peaks of the East Himalayan mountain range. From here you may spot the Kanchenjunga and the aesthetically beautiful Siniolchu Mountain peaks.

Our Gangtok cycling tour then winds its way to Ganesh Tok, which derives its name from a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Though the temple itself is quite small, it is built on top of a hill and makes for an excellent view point for seeing the Himalayas. If you miss out watching the mighty Kanchenjunga at Tashi View Point, Ganesh Tok won’t disappoint you.

Pressing on still higher on our Gangtok cycling holiday, we reach Hanuman Tok, the highest point of Gangtok. Legend has it that this was the very place where Lord Hanuman rested on the journey carrying the mountain Dronagiri with sanjeevani herb to revive Lord Rama’s brother Laxman. The temple is located at such an excellent vantage point that it is not just a place of worship, but also provides unobstructed views of Kanchenjunga and several other sweeping, snow-capped peaks of the eastern Himalayas.

This daylong cycling tour of Gangtok is a great chance to test out your bicycle, to find out any niggles or faults in the gear or brakes, so that we can repair the cycle and tweak its settings to your liking, or – in some cases – change the cycle itself. This is important because from day 3 onwards, when we are deep into our tour, you won’t have the option of changing the cycle.

So the Gangtok city trip is the perfect warm-up for you and your cycle before venturing deeper on Sikkim cycling tour.

Cycling Dist: 25 Kms.
Hotel : Netuk House/Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Lunch in Midway Or City Restaurant
Day 3

GANGTOK – MARTAM VILLAGE - TEMI TEA GARDEN

martam village
This morning you will have our breakfast at hotel. Our driver and guide will meet you at hotela plan to start the first cycling day of the tour, we will load our cycle on car or might leave by cycle from the hotel, it depends on which hotel you will staying in Gangtok. Our Sikkim biking trip kicks off in the state’s capital Gangtok. Situated at the elevation of 1650 meters (5410 feet), the city is built on one side of a mountain and accords a distant view of the Kanchenjunga peak towards the west. We will start from the Gangtok our cycling towards Martam. Tour guide briefs you about the day’s trip and we hit the road and take a south westerly downhill course through the forested hilly region teeming with oak, poplar, elm and birch trees.

Around mid-way, the cycling route takes a short detour to Rumtek Monastery, located at the altitude of 1500 meters. Rumtek Monastery is the biggest Buddhist monastery in Sikkim. Though it was built in the 18th century, it fell to disrepair and neglect until it was revived, reconstructed and revamped by the 16th Karmapa (Tibetan spiritual leader) after his escape from Tibet in 1959. Being the new seat of the Karmapa and a place of spiritual erudition, the monastery is also called the Dharma chakra Centre. The monastery houses many sacred items like paintings and relics. The golden stupa (reliquary monument) still contains the relics of the 16th Karmapa.

After the stopover at the monastery, we continue biking towards Martam, which is located at the altitude of 1363 meters. The first part of the first day of our Sikkim cycling holiday trip is fairly easy, save for a bit of uphill ride in the latter part of the journey.

Martam village is located in a calm and beautiful countryside of Sikkim. It is surrounded by lush forests and hillsides covered with terraced paddy fields. The flora and fauna is very diverse and rich in this region, owing to the Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary close by. In this picturesque setting of Martam village we start our day’s cycling with a breezy 24-km-long downhill ride to Sirwani Bridge on the river Teesta.

The river originates in Eastern Himalayas and winds its way southwards through the mountains and gorges to form a natural border between Sikkim and West Bengal. After crossing the Sirwani Bridge, we begin the tough uphill ride to Temi Tea Garden, a gorgeous estate that produces some of the best quality tea in the world.


The tea connoisseurs will particularly like Temi Tea Garden. The estate is spread over an area of 440 acres almost all of which is under the cultivation of top quality tea that attracts great demand in the international market. Very many different varieties of tea are cultivated at this garden. The air is full of wonderful aroma. Even to a disinterested visitor, the great view of the tea garden with the postcard perfect mountains in the backdrop make for a worthwhile visit. Since the day’s cycling is bound to tire you out, we plan our tour of the tea garden for the next morning.


Note : From Gangtok till Sirwani bridge which is approx 51kms of cycling is mostly downhill easy cycling with no stress but from sirwani bridge to Temi Garden is all ascend of 17kms, in this 17kms of cycling we will gain elavetion of approx 1500m


Cycling Dist: 68 Kms.
Hotel : Cherry Resort/Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Lunch in Midway Or Picnic Lunch
Day 4

TEMI TEA GARDEN – RAVANGLA

Cycling Tour to Sikkim
In the refreshing morning of green and hilly Himalayas, we do the tour of Temi Tea Garden. The tour is an eye-opener for the first timers. Hundreds of workers can be seen hunched over, picking tea leaves in the estate. Inside the sheds, different varieties of tea leaves are laid out for drying and processing. Some of the best varieties are: Temi Tea, Sikkim Solja, Mystique, and Kanchenjunga Tea.
After the tour of the tea estate, we mount the saddles and hit the road through a picturesque landscape that will tempt you to stop and take photographs. An uphill ride takes us to the small town of Damthang and is followed up a brief descent before the road starts winding up towards Ravangla.
We take a short detour to drop by at Ralang monastery, which is an important port of call for Buddhist pilgrims in Sikkim. Legend has it that when the fourth Chogyal (monarch of Sikkim) returned from his pilgrimage in Tibet, the 12th Karmapa, performed a blessing ritual by throwing grains from Tsurphu Monastery. The ground where the grains fell was deemed consecrated and a monastery was built there. The Ralang monastery that stands today is a relatively new structure built and renovated in the 1970s and 1990s. However, the old structure still stands to the west of the new monastery. The art and culture enthusiasts will particularly love the extensive collection of Thangka paintings in the monastery.

Cycling Dist: 23 Kms.
Hotel : Mt. Narsing Village Resort /Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Lunch from Midway restaurant Or Picnic Lunch
Day 5

RAVANGLA – TASHIDING – YUKSOM

A busy day lies ahead of us as we leave Ravangla for Yuksom. The first 20 km is an easy-breezy downhill ride to the small town of Legship where you relax a bit before beginning the ascent to Tashiding, a quiet hamlet most famous for its monastery.
The word ‘Tashiding’ means ‘devoted central glory’ and the monastery, located on top of a hill, is considered the most sacred Buddhist gompa in Sikkim because it was founded by one of the three holy men or Lamas, who came from Tibet to Sikkim in 1641 to choose the first king of Sikkim whom they gave the title Chogyal, meaning the righteous and religious king. Tashiding Monastery is the gompa of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. What lends extra consecration to this monastery is the legend that Sikkim’s patron saint Lhatsun Chempo built a famous chorten or stupa here. Every year, the Tashiding monastery attracts thousands of tourists and pilgrims during the Bumchu festival when a barrel of holy water is opened and the level of water in it helps to predict the year to come.
The trip to Tashiding monastery is rejuvenating, what with the stunning views of the surrounding landscape and the calm state of mind the place of worship evokes. Refreshed and re-energized, we then hit the road again for the remaining 19km ride to our destination for the day, Yuksom.

Cycling Dist: 60 Kms
Hotel : The Tashighang Resort / Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Lunch in Midway Or Picnic Lunch
Day 6

YUKSOM – PEMAYANGTSE (PELLING)

At the elevation of 1780 meters, the town of Yuksom is located in the lap of the Kanchenjunga mountain range and it serves as the base camp for the mountaineers trekking to Mount Kanchenjunga. Quite close by is the Kanchenjunga National Park which is a biosphere reserve and also the first ‘Mixed Heritage’ site of India. Yuksom is hailed as the model village for eco-tourism. Besides being a favourite haunt of mountaineers, Yuksom is also a town of great religious and historical importance. It was the first capital of Sikkim and it is here the three holy men from Tibet met to coronate the first king of Sikkim in 1641.
Leaving Yuksom behind we head for Khecheopalri Lake, which is an important point in the circuit of Buddhist religious pilgrimage in Sikkim. Revered by Hindus and Buddhists, the lake is said to have wish-fulfilling powers. The lake is part of the revered valley of rice and even the Khecheopalri hill nearby is considered sacred. This place is also called the land of hidden treasures which was blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, the 8th century Indian Buddhist master renowned for reviving and spreading Buddhism in Tibet. An interesting feature of the lake is that one rarely spots a tree leaf floating on its water. As soon as a leaf falls, birds from the trees pick it up to keep the blessed lake’s water clean and clear.
We wrap up the day’s biking by heading to Pemayangste and enjoying the invigorating views of waterfalls, forests, and the snow-capped peaks of the Kanchenjunga range.

Distance : 45 Kms
Hotel : Norbu Ghang Resort/ Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Lunch in Midway Or Picnic Lunch
Day 7

PEMAYANGTSE – DARJEELING - Last Day of Cycling

Pemayangtse literally means ‘perfect sublime lotus’ and it is said to represent one of the four plexus of human anatomy in the topography of Sikkim. Pemayangtse represents the heart in this anatomy. The village is home to the Pemayangtse monastery which was planned and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1705. The monastery was – and still is – strictly meant for ‘pure monks’ who are celibate, without any physical abnormality, and deeply steeped in Buddhist spiritual practices. These monks wielded enormous power in the past and enjoyed the privilege of anointing the kings of Sikkim.
We begin the day 7 of our Sikkim mountain biking tour with a visit to the monastery located on top of a hill at the elevation of 2085 meters. It is a three-storied structure with the first floor itself showcasing an impressive collection of Buddhist paintings, sculptures and antique idols. One of the artworks depicts eight incarnations of Padmasambhava, all in fierce forms. The monastery also hosts the annual Cham dance festival in which the lamas perform sacred dances in colourful costumes. Following our visit to the monastery, we hit the road again for Darjeeling, which is a place renowned for its extensive tea plantations and is located on the northern tip of West Bengal.
The last big riding day is fairly easy on the legs as most of the ride is downhill. The descent isn't steep, so look around and enjoy the breath-taking landscape and stop and take photos. When we have finished our freewheeling, lunch at Jorethang town. We pack up the bikes after lunch and drive approximately 4 hours up a steep incline to the hill station of Darjeeling. . It has a cool climate, situated 1,100 metres above sea level.

Cycling Dist: 55 Kms
Hotel : Dekeling Resort and Hotel/Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast, and Dinner at hotel. Lunch in Midway
Day 8

DARJEELING – TIGER HILL - DARJEELING

Mount Kanchenjanga
At the elevation of 2042 meters, Darjeeling is located in the lesser Himalayas. It is a hill station and a popular tourist destination for Indian and foreign travellers. Day 8 of our Sikkim cycling expedition is reserved for sightseeing in and around Darjeeling.

We make an early start to the day by heading towards Tiger Hill, which, at the altitude of 2600 meters, is the sixth highest peak in West Bengal. Tiger Hill is from where you can have a panoramic view of Mount Everest and Mount Kanchenjunga together. The best time to visit Tiger Hill is around sunrise when the first rays light up the snow-capped peaks. After sunrise, we will come back to hotel for shower and breakfast.
After breakfast we visit Ghoom Monastery which houses a 15-foot-high statue of the Maitreya, the future Buddha. Built in 1875, the monastery follows the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and continue the day’s excursion to the railway station for a ride in the narrow gauge Toy Train of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. We ride till the line’s summit at Ghoom, which, at the altitude of 2258 meters, is India’s highest railway station. The route is touted as one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world. We visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute which details the ascent of Mount Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. We then drop by at the Tibetan Self Help Centre to see the young people training in the art of Tibetan handicrafts. You may also do the souvenir shopping at the market before heading back to the hotel in Darjeeling.


Hotel : Dekeling Resort and Hotelt/Similar
Meal Plan : Breakfast
Day 9

DARJEELING – BAGDOGRA - DELHI/KOLKATA

After breakfast, we check out from the hotel in Darjeeling and drive to the Bagdogra airport to drop you for your onward journey.

Driving Distance: 120 Kms
Meal Plan : Breakfast

Tour Cost USD 1930 Per Person (Maximum Bikers - 8)
Single Supplement USD 610

Tour Cost USD 2190 Per Person based on 2 Person travelling together for Exclusive Guided Private Tour.

Note: For Guaranteed Departure we need only 2 Cyclist.
Note: Domestic flight ticket and train tickes or extension tour can be done on request.

Dates

Trip Status

Cost(Per Person)

 

09/10/2023 - 16/10/2023
(09 days)

Available

$1,930

12/11/2022 - 20/11/2023
(09 days)

Available

$1,930

21/01/2024 - 29/01/2024
(09 days)

Available

$1,930

18/02/2024 - 26/02/2024
(09 days)

Available

$1,930


Book This Tour
If you want exclusive and private tour than feel free to write us an email at info@cyclinginindia.com

Bikes: Trek Bikes

Bike Hire: Includes on Tour Cost. You may bring your own bikes, but in this case let us know in advance.

Accommodation

Accommodation is offered at all locations. Most of the hotels are Culture Resort, Eco Resorts & family run hotels - all with a common line of quality in service. Our costs are based on 'twin-sharing' foundation. For those who wants single room, we offer single room, but at extra cost.

Terrain

The landscape is hilly region but not extreme but its Ascent and Descent

Climate

Mostly Cold depends on which month of the year you are travelling. March, April and October is the best month to travel

Transportation/Support Vehicles

All transport is involved in the cost. We provide backup vehicle at all times during cycling trip. The vehicle can be used to boat your baggage & yourself as required.

Food

Food is a very essential part of these trips. We make sure that the meals we offer is method delicious, unless you ask for dull meals. You are also permitted the choice of veggie or non-vegetarian meals. We suggest that you consume only the canned standard water. Please make sure that the container is enclosed.

What to bring

  • Footwear
  • Bike shoes
  • Helmet
  • Pedal
  • Water Bottle
  • Sun cream lotion
  • Relaxed shoes for walking
  • Shoes for other sightseeing
  • Socks
  • Clothing

    • In Indian, the conventional of outfit is more traditional. We counsel you to prevent very short shorts/skirts and limited tops/tanktops when viewing small non-urban places, temples, mosques or other sacred sites as this may limit your access.
    • Water resistant jacket.
    • Riding a bike equipment like safety gloves and shorts.

    Others

    • Torch
    • Mosquito repellent
    • Eyewear, cap
    • Sun lotion of spf at least 35
    • Individual Bike riding equipment like bar finishes, pedals, chairs and headgear
    • Helmets for riding a bike

    Health

    Malaria is a avoidable disease that can create trouble if neglected. One can prevent disease by taking recommended anti-malarial drugs and defending against insect attacks. The areas you will be passing are Malaria-free. Make sure that your insurance provider includes illnesses and injuries overseas.

    Precautions

    • Bring all the important medications and OTC medications. Do not ignore to have the brands as well as the general titles of the medications one needs to have.
    • Use a sun hat when revealed.
    • Consume a lot of liquids. Don't drink tap water. Use only bottled water which is always kept in the back of your automobile.
    • Bring your personal medical kit and pest resilient.
    • To avoid fungus and parasitic attacks, keep legs clean and dry, and do not go without shoes.
    • Do not eat food bought from road providers.
    • Do not drink drinks with ice.
    • Do not eat milk products unless it is known that they have been pasteurized.
    • Prevent managing creatures (especially apes, pets, and cats) to avoid attacks and serious illnesses.

    Medical Information Update

    Details given above are liable to change every now and then and one should contact the Native India tasks of the specific country or the government vacationer offices for more details.

    Shopping

    You will get possibilities en-route to do a bit of purchasing. However unless particularly requested for, our guide will not suggest any particular store. Neither we nor our driver/guides take any percentage on purchasing.

    Spending Money

    Every visitor will have different cash specifications and varying personal costs. Please assess your own spending routines while enabling for beverages, purchasing and falling. Also keep aside cash for extra costs like:

    • Foods which are not included
    • Emergencies
    • Optionally available activities /additional sightseeing
    • Shopping/Souvenirs

    Foreign Exchange

    As Indian currency value tend to go up and down, make reference to the following website for daily return rates: www.xe.com.

    Airport Taxes

    There is no airport terminal or leaving taxation from any airport terminal of India.

    Tour Cost Includes:

    • Hotel Based on Twin Sharing
    • Bikes for complete Tour (Cycling Part Only - Trek Bikes)
    • All Meals as mentioned above in itinerary
    • Lunch in Midway restaurant/City Restaurant or Pack Lunch
    • Expert Cycle Guide / mechanic throughout the tour
    • Back up AC vehicle for complete tour
    • Fresh Fruits/Snacks (Only Cycling Part)
    • Inner Line Permit
    • Unlimited water during cycling (Only Cycling Part)
    • All road and transport taxes
    • All Airport and Hotel Transfers
    • Driver Allowance
    • Toll and Parking charges
    • 5% Government Taxes

    Tour Cost Excludes:

    • Any Domestic or International flight tickets
    • Monument or Sightseeing entry fees
    • Still/Video camera fees
    • Tips and Gratitude
    • Travel insurance
    • Any Hard and Soft Drink

    Dates

    Trip Status

    Cost(Per Person)

     

    10/10/2022 - 18/10/2022
    (09 days)

    Available

    $1,930

    10/11/2022 - 18/10/2022
    (09 days)

    Available

    $1,930

    20/01/2023 - 28/01/2023
    (09 days)

    Available

    $1,930

    20/02/2023 - 28/02/2023
    (09 days)

    Available

    $1,930


    5% discount on all tours if book for 4 Person

    Guaranteed Limited // trips are open for booking and confirmed to run but have a limited number of spaces available.


    Guaranteed // trips are open for booking and confirmed to run.


    Available// trips are open for booking but not yet confirmed. Every tour is guaranteed to run on 2 Person.

    Contact // If you would like to book this tour as private or exclusive trip, please contact us at info@cyclinginindia.com.

    Private Groups and Customised Tours

    In addition to our scheduled trips which cater for 2-8 cyclists we are experienced in organising private, customised and group tours for larger and smaller numbers of cyclists. Because we have strong relationships with our local guides and agents we are in an excellent position to secure you the best options for your accommodation and local services. If you want a personalised adventure cycling trip for 2 or more people, please contact us and we'll be able to discuss this further.

    Optional Extras

    Own Room: Single Supplement USD 610

    Flights

    International or Domestic Flight Cost is not included but if you want then we will be glad to assisit you


    NOTE: Please read through the General information and Inclusion section to see exactly what the price includes & excludes before booking!